By DOUG NURSE / http://www.ajc.com/
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
A Superior Court judge is considering whether to order Fulton County or the new cities in north Fulton to let sign companies set up about 70 billboards in the area. County officials and city leaders are asking the judge to toss out the sign companies’ lawsuits.Judge Melvin Westmoreland is reviewing motions for summary judgment and responses. A hearing date has not been scheduled.It’s a heated issue in the new cities, whose self-images do not include a horizon full of billboards.
For the billboard companies, a victory could mean millions of dollars.The billboard companies have asked for 31 billboards in Johns Creek, 15 in Milton, 23 in Sandy Springs, three in Alpharetta and three in south Fulton. Johns Creek currently has one billboard, Milton none.Several billboard companies filed for permits from Fulton County while the communities of Sandy Springs, Milton and Johns Creek were still unincorporated. Fulton County said no, but then the state Supreme Court threw out the county’s sign ordinance as unconstitutional.The billboard companies filed suit against the county, saying the denials were based on bad law and they should get their permits. If the companies couldn’t get the permits, they wanted the county to pay them about $6 million to cover their lost revenue.
In the meantime, Sandy Springs residents voted to become a city, starting Dec. 1, 2005. The northeast part of the county became the city of Johns Creek and the far northern area became the city of Milton on Dec. 1, 2006.In December, Fulton County negotiated a settlement in which the commissioners agreed to issue backdated permits. City officials hit the roof. Fearing a glut of billboards, city officials asked to become a part of the court case.In their motion for a summary judgment, filed in August, the cities say Fulton County’s proposed settlement was out of bounds because it can’t issue permits for other jurisdictions.
They also maintain there are other provisions of county law that cover the denial.The billboard companies’ motion argues that the county ordinance was invalid and they should get their signs.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
New Fire department Takes Reins in GA. County
By Doug Nurse / www.ajc.com
On Tuesday, the new Johns Creek Fire Department takes over from Fulton County firefighters the protection of 65,000 residents and businesses.
It's a process almost two years in the making, with launch dates pushed back time and again as organizers worked through funding needs, staffing requirements, equipment availability, and contractual obligations with Fulton County.
The latter has provided fire coverage for the city until the municipal Fire Department was ready.
The Johns Creek department plans to do things a little differently from Fulton County. Instead of responding to emergency calls with just pumper trucks, it may send rescue vehicles and pumpers, depending on the severity of the situation. Staffing will be increased for safety and effectiveness, and most of the time, paramedics will ride on each vehicle.
Employee experience ranges from two to 28 years of service. There will be 24 paramedics and 12 Georgia Search and Rescue firefighters, including three instructors.
"I was very happy with that," said Chief Joey Daniels, a former Fulton County battalion chief who served north Fulton. "We bring a lot to the table. We have a lot of experience and skills, including firefighting, medical care and technical rescue. That's good for us."
The department will have newer and more equipment. Each vehicle will have advanced life-support equipment that provides the highest level of pre-hospital emergency care. Each vehicle also has sophisticated heart monitors that can send EKG readings to the hospital so the doctor knows what to expect.
The rescue vehicles will carry special equipment for respiratory emergencies.
On Tuesday, the new Johns Creek Fire Department takes over from Fulton County firefighters the protection of 65,000 residents and businesses.
It's a process almost two years in the making, with launch dates pushed back time and again as organizers worked through funding needs, staffing requirements, equipment availability, and contractual obligations with Fulton County.
The latter has provided fire coverage for the city until the municipal Fire Department was ready.
The Johns Creek department plans to do things a little differently from Fulton County. Instead of responding to emergency calls with just pumper trucks, it may send rescue vehicles and pumpers, depending on the severity of the situation. Staffing will be increased for safety and effectiveness, and most of the time, paramedics will ride on each vehicle.
Employee experience ranges from two to 28 years of service. There will be 24 paramedics and 12 Georgia Search and Rescue firefighters, including three instructors.
"I was very happy with that," said Chief Joey Daniels, a former Fulton County battalion chief who served north Fulton. "We bring a lot to the table. We have a lot of experience and skills, including firefighting, medical care and technical rescue. That's good for us."
The department will have newer and more equipment. Each vehicle will have advanced life-support equipment that provides the highest level of pre-hospital emergency care. Each vehicle also has sophisticated heart monitors that can send EKG readings to the hospital so the doctor knows what to expect.
The rescue vehicles will carry special equipment for respiratory emergencies.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Love Shack Closes In Johns Creek, But Suits Continue
Owner says he was losing $40,000 a month because city wouldn’t let him put up a sign
By DOUG NURSE / www.ajc.com
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Adult video store owner John Cornetta has closed the Love Shack in Johns Creek, but he has vowed to seek $1.7 million in damages from the city. “I couldn’t take the losses any more,” Cornetta said. “I’m still opening new stores in other states, and I still have pending court cases that I’m going to win.”
He said he was losing about $40,000 a month.
The store, located at States Bridge and Jones Bridge roads in the heart of the city, has been the object of scorn and dismay by many residents, and city efforts to regulate the store have generated piles of litigation.
Cornetta blamed the city’s unwillingness to give him a sign for running him out of business. The city has said it won’t give a sign permit or a business license for an adult business in an area not zoned for that.
The Love Shack opened just a couple of days before the city was born Dec. 1, 2006, which Cornetta argued meant he existed before the city and it couldn’t regulate him. After losing in Fulton Superior Court, Cornetta cleaned out all but a few of his adult items to become a non-adult store.
Cornetta said the city gave signs to other businesses that didn’t have business licenses.
“If the judge finds that they illegally caused a business to fail, they’re facing huge fines,” he said.
Cornetta and the city have cases pending in federal and state appeals courts.
By DOUG NURSE / www.ajc.com
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Adult video store owner John Cornetta has closed the Love Shack in Johns Creek, but he has vowed to seek $1.7 million in damages from the city. “I couldn’t take the losses any more,” Cornetta said. “I’m still opening new stores in other states, and I still have pending court cases that I’m going to win.”
He said he was losing about $40,000 a month.
The store, located at States Bridge and Jones Bridge roads in the heart of the city, has been the object of scorn and dismay by many residents, and city efforts to regulate the store have generated piles of litigation.
Cornetta blamed the city’s unwillingness to give him a sign for running him out of business. The city has said it won’t give a sign permit or a business license for an adult business in an area not zoned for that.
The Love Shack opened just a couple of days before the city was born Dec. 1, 2006, which Cornetta argued meant he existed before the city and it couldn’t regulate him. After losing in Fulton Superior Court, Cornetta cleaned out all but a few of his adult items to become a non-adult store.
Cornetta said the city gave signs to other businesses that didn’t have business licenses.
“If the judge finds that they illegally caused a business to fail, they’re facing huge fines,” he said.
Cornetta and the city have cases pending in federal and state appeals courts.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
